1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable wire, cable and line pulling devices.
2. Background Information
Larger and larger commercial buildings, warehouses, and other super sized structures are now being constructed that require long runs of electrical wires, cables, lines and/or the like (collectively, wires) during construction. Some wire runs can exceed 1000 feet in length and it becomes very difficult and time consuming to pull wires through such long runs. Traditionally, a rope is threaded through the space where the wire is to be run with one end of the rope fastened onto a specific wire or wire bundle. It is the electrician's job to then pull the rope/wire combination by hand through and over the wire run(s) specified by the building designer. Two or more workers are usually required for this process. As such, this process is time consuming and expensive in man hours. Safety may also become an issue because workers are often required to perform this difficult operation while working high on scaffold or on a lift.
In view of the above, a plethora of wire pulling devices has been invented. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,661,187 a portable, knock-down conduit pulling winch is disclosed having a reel spool that holds a steel cable or rope. The winch is driven by a portable electrically driven power vise that is detachably mounted to frames of the winch. The winch further includes a hand operated brake mechanism in order to control the quick stopping of the reel in operation. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,510 a portable cable puller and power unit is provided having a wheel supported base defining a rectangular frame. A reversible electric motor is supported by the frame and is coupled by gearing to a cable-winding drum that holds a cable. A brake drum is fixed to the shaft that rotates the cable-winding drum. Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,916 a wire or cable puller includes an adaptor, a rotatable drum, an electric motor for rotating the drum and one of a group of tubular pulling sleeves.
Additionally U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,382 discloses an electrical conduit wire puller having an essentially triangular winch support frame that holds a winch mechanism having a rotatable drum with a length of flexible line. The winch is preferably of the type having a rotary power input shaft that may be gripped by the chuck of a corded electrical hand drill. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,383 a cable pulling machine is shown having an elongated hollow rectangular frame supporting an electric motor that is coupled to gearing that is connected to a rotatable drum. The frame includes wheels for moving the cable pulling device in the fashion of a wheel barrow. Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,856 a cable puller is described having a substantially rectangular horizontally disposed base having a reel, an electric motor mounted on the base and gearing coupling the motor to the reel. The gearing allows free rotation of the reel for unwinding of the cable and allows for geared winding of the cable back onto the reel. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,952 an assembly for pulling a line is shown that includes a frame, a power unit mounted on the frame and means for guiding a line from the power unit along the frame. The frame has various sections that allow the frame to be adjustable into a plurality of working positions.
Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,470 a powered, cart-mounted device for pulling electrical cable through conduit is shown that includes a rigid frame with wheels mounted thereon for being moved in a wheelbarrow-like fashion. The frame carries a motor for driving a torque converter and speed reducer that drives (rotates) a shaft. A reel of cable is attached to the shaft wherein a guide and support mechanism directs the cable to the reel and supports the entire device in a fixed position relative to the conduit through which the cable is being pulled. U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,193 teaches a multi-functional wire and cable pulling apparatus. The wire and cable pulling apparatus includes a housing, a frame and an AC/DC motor that drives a capstan that holds a wire feed pulling line. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,273 teaches a wire puller for pulling line through a conduit by employing motor force of a standard right angle corded power drill. The wire puller includes a stand and a frame onto which is mounted a drive shaft that carries a line spool. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,248 teaches a cable rack mounted cable puller and installation system for removably attaching to a cable rack and efficiently removing/installing cable upon the cable rack.
However, all of these prior art wire pulling devices suffer from various deficiencies. For instance, these prior art wire pulling devices are not too portable given their size and bulk. Moreover, since these prior art wire pulling devices require use of alternating current machinery for motive power they are restricted for use in places where there is a source of alternating current for operation. Furthermore, these prior art wire pulling devices do not provide flexibility in positioning for wire pulling, wire pulling capabilities or other constraints.
It is thus apparent from the above that here there is a need for a wire pulling device that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art and/or that provides a totally novel approach to a wire pulling device.
It is moreover apparent from the above that there is a need for a light-weight, portable, fast and easy to operate device that can pull wire over large distances in order to greatly reduce the man hours and related costs usually required to properly perform this operation.
It is furthermore apparent from the above that there is a need for a light-weight, portable, fast and easy to operate device that can pull wire over large distances using a minimum of input power.